New Pepper BDMs to help advisers place tougher loans
Pepper Money, one of the leading non-bank specialist lenders in New Zealand, has strengthened its presence in the adviser channel with two senior business development manager (BDM) appointments, as more brokers look to non‑banks for complex and out‑of‑policy scenarios.
The non‑bank lender has hired award‑winning BDM Ashlene Prasad and former Kiwibank relationship lending manager Ashleigh Lowe (pictured, left to right) to expand adviser support across key regions in 2026.
Pepper Money’s country head of New Zealand, Campbell Smith, said the new hires reflect both the lender’s ambitions and the momentum in the sector.
“Advisers are dealing with more nuanced, real-life client scenarios than ever before,” Smith said. “Non-bank lending in New Zealand is experiencing one of its strongest periods of growth in recent years. Advisers are seeing more customers who need solutions that are fast, flexible, and tailored to real-world circumstances. That’s exactly where Pepper Money excels.
“With demand increasing, we’re investing in more hands‑on support for advisers. Bringing two highly experienced BDMs into the team ensures we can continue to deliver the responsiveness, expertise, and partnership advisers rely on.”
Award‑winning BDM joins from CFML and Resimac
Prasad joins Pepper Money with more than 20 years’ banking and finance experience. She has been recognised at the NZ Mortgage Awards as Non‑Bank BDM of the Year in 2022 and 2023, was a finalist in 2024 and 2025, and has been named an Elite Woman in Finance multiple times. Her most recent roles were senior BDM positions at CFML Loans and Resimac, where she focused on portfolio growth, adviser training and complex lending scenarios.
“Pepper has a strong reputation in the market, but what really stood out to me is the culture behind it,” Ashlene said. “The people genuinely care about supporting advisers, working through challenges together and finding solutions that help clients move forward. That values-led approach is why Pepper continues to earn trust in the non-bank space.”
Former Kiwibank relationship manager strengthens non‑bank firepower
Lowe arrives from Kiwibank, where she worked in adviser partnerships as a relationship lending manager. Before that, she held senior lending and operations roles at Bluestone Home Loans, leading credit and underwriting teams and supporting advisers through policy changes and lending growth. She has also worked at Liberty Financial Group, giving her broad experience across non‑bank lending and broker‑credit engagement.
“Pepper Money has a strong reputation for supporting advisers with practical, solution-focused lending, and I’m really pleased to be joining the team. I’m looking forward to partnering with advisers and helping them navigate a wide range of client scenarios,” Ashleigh said.
Backing advisers as non‑bank demand grows
Smith said the appointments underline Pepper Money NZ’s commitment to long‑term adviser partnerships as more clients fall outside traditional bank criteria.
“Both Ashlene and Ashleigh bring deep lending experience, strong adviser relationships and positive, proactive mindset we value at Pepper,” he said. “This is about building a business that genuinely supports advisers to do their best work. We’re focused on being a reliable, trusted non-bank partner – now and into the future.”
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